Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Here's a set of table to help a DM craft a the occasional odd or rare item for a campaign.

These tables are a broader take on my old ones used for scribing scrolls
where the odd materials and substances were meant for components in
inks for magical scrolls.Having to find 3 measures of Distilled Akashic
Ichor might be prone to create more fantastic adventures than the simple
need of 300 gp when scribing a scroll or brewing a potion.

Pick or select from Table 1, Table 2 and Table 3 for a quick but unusual item.

Table I- Treatment

Hardened

Clarified

Sublimated

Refined

Reified

Substantiated

Indurated

Distilled

Deactivated

Calcified

Suspended

Fermented

reduced

Fertilized

Neutralized

Activated

Annulated

Alloyed

Rarefied

Adulterated

Crystallized

Powdered

Filtered

Purified

Sterilized

Formulated

Obfuscated

Infused

Vaporized

Intensified

Table II- Source

Sanguine

Melancholic

Choleric

Phlegmatic

Cerebral

Draconic

Lunar

Necrotic

Ethereal

Essential

Chthonic

Elemental

Cyclopian

Infernal

Vampiric

Notional

Celestial

Demiurgic

Elastic

Soporific

Morphemic

Empathic

Incendiary

Cryonic

Ephemeral

Akashic

Aquarian

Eternal

Caustic

Chimerical

Table III- Form

Pigment

Earth

Essence

Unguent

Syrup

Oil

Dust

Jelly

Salts

Gum

Plasma

Dew

Tincture

Bile

Decoction

Pollution

Decay

Mummia

Tears

Ichor

Metal

Exhalation

Bloom

Fiber

Zygote

Resin

Nucleus

Spore

Ordure

Integument

What archaic treasure trove or evil darklord's laboratory wouldn't be dressed up with a crystal vial holding Infused Chthonic Oil or a rune covered dragon skull treated in a coating of Calcified Morphemic Jelly?

Friday, April 25, 2014

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Traditionally dungeons have levels and as they go deeper and deeper into the ground they get get a higher numbered level. So if they go up do the levels still go up?

Maybe level up should be stories or floors just like in a building. Of course ypu gp that route and some folks are going to be afraid to walk up to the second floor when only 1st level.

What do you call the starting level of a dungeon that goes up and down?Entry level, 0-level, ground level ?
Each of those have some issues, a really big dungeon should have multiple entry points and they should allow one to bypass whoel levels from the outside so "Entry Level" might not be pleasing for all. 0-level is already taken for push-over normal men. Ground level really only works if the startign level is on the ground.

What's in a name and how can we have that mean something when going up or down?

Monday, April 14, 2014

A consolation class. You’ve rolled up a character and it’s
still pretty bad considering your inner-munchkin. No ability scores with a
bonus? Two or more ability score with a penalty actually? Well try playing an
urchin.

An urchin is an unpleasant term for a child of the streets
or the dungeon corridors. They are small unimpressive and rather slippery
sorts.

The Urchin

Level

EXP

HitPoints

Wiggle/Escape

Go Unnoticed

Throw

Dirty Blow

Or Taunt/Insult

1

0

1d3

30%

40%

0

10%

2

400

1d4

40%

50%

+1

15%

3

1000

1d5

50%

60%

+2

20%

4

1500

1d6

60%

70%

+2

25%

5

2100

1d7

40%

50%

+3

30%

6

3000

1d8

20%

30%

+4

35%

An urchin is still developing and as such gains an ability point at 2nd, 4th,
and 6th level.

HitPoints: Urchins do not gain a full hit-die each time they
level up but they may re-roll hp using the die indicated for their new level.

Wiggle/Escape: whenever an urchin is grappled, held, or
trapped they can make a single roll to wiggle out of danger.

Go Unnoticed: if an urchin is standing near an ally, or even
someone not really aware of the urchin, the urchin can’t be targeted directly
unless they make a physical attack or insult/taunt.

Throw: urchins don’t get better at combat except for
throwing weapons, usually rocks.

Dirty blow: An urchin can convert any attack to a dirty
blow. A dirty blow is made at -2 to attack and then the chance is rolled, if
successful the target is slightly stunned for as many following rounds as the
urchin has level. Slightly stunned is no action the round this attack is
inflicted and -2 to hit and AC for the duration.

Taunt/Insult: An urchin can taunt someone forcing them to
make a save or do something foolish even dangerous if a save vs grace fails
(Will save for some games). This insult will can cause a loss of reputation
equal to the urchins level if the victim fails a save and is of the same level
or lower then the urchin.

Armor: any but wiggle/escape is cut in half with any armor
worn and the ability to go unnoticed is completely lost if wearing armor
heavier then leather.

Maximum level for an Urchin is 6th level. A
character will have to find training in another class to advance in that new
class. Wiggle/escape and going unnoticed chance is lost when gaining a new
class. Dirty Blow chance decreases 10% each level gained in a new class,
taunting/insulting is at half it’s chance.

An antique set of dueling pistols with grips seemigly fit
for human hands.

A pocket copy of the sacred scrolls.

A folio of human hating verse.

A heretical pamphlet of evolutionist theory.

A folio of bawdy simian erotica.

A veterinary guide to human health.

The complete works of William Shakespeare in the original archaic
orangutan.

An illustrated youth guide to the seven wonders of the simian
savanna.

A tome of traditionalist simian philosophy containing the
archaic orangutan and modern translation with educational notation.

A Complete Record of Simian Invention. Three volume
illustrated work published by the simian patent office in Central City prior to
closing after the council of Lore Speakers decided everything that would ever
be invented had been.

Anatomy of the Greater Simians. Complete anatomical drawings
of Chimpanzee, Gorilla, and Orangutan with brief notes on other simians.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Just spit-balling and sharing here. A few ideas to beef up dungeons actually.

Fairy Ring- connects one fey space with another. Any elf or
fairy can walk the inner perimeter three times and the walker and everyone else
inside will teleport to the linked location. It is possible for anyone to
follow the last user up to as many hours as they have hitdice after the last
time a fairy used the fairy circle so fairy-folk don’t use them too frequently
and will have both linked rings remote and secluded/secured.

Hurdle Hollow- a fairy place often erroneously called
“faerie”. A hurdle hollow will appear to be a secluded place surrounded by
hills or mountains and fey princes are known to build palaces in in these
hidden dales. No one can leave a hurdle hollow by ordinary means principally a
Fairy Ring is required but if bwg gain access to a hurdle hollow they will
fashion goblin doors in remote corners on the edge of the hollow. Ethereal
travel is only possible at the edge of a hollow and it is very dangerous as one
can get lost very easily as hurdle hollows do not easily connect to anywhere
else. If all the fairy rings are destroyed within a hurdle hollow the fairies
and all else within will be trapped for 101 years. Teleportation will allow one
to travel within a hurdle hollow but not to leave it.

Goblin Door- magical doors only visible to fairies and bwgs.
A goblin door may connect two seemingly remote places, allow access to a goblin
grotto or simply work like an ordinary doorway (that vanishes if the door is
broken). Fey and bwg have a 4 in 6 chance of spotting a concealed goblin door,
these are the “secret” doors elves are famed for finding. A knock spell cast on
a 10’ run of wall containg an unseen goblin door will reveal the presence of
the door to any mortal for as many full turns as the casters level, a second
knock spell would be needed to open the door. Goblin doors are not invisible so
magic that detects/reveals invisibility will not aid one in finding goblin
door. Soemoneelse had an excellent post or two on goblin doors a couple years ago, if I find it I'll link it.

Goblin Grotto- a hidden pocket realm/dimension usually a
cavernous space. A goblin grotto can only be accessed by goblin doors. Ethereal
travel within a goblin door will only allow one to move about in an ethereal
state within the grotto. Air will never run out in a goblin grotto and if there
are environmental changes they will be linked to magical phenomena or be very
slow and gradual. A goblin grotto may seem a great place to hide out but it is
very unsafe as many a bwg can open a goblin door into a goblin grotto.
Attempting to leave a Goblin Grotto by teleport is typically lethal having a
66% chance of entombing the would be teleporter in stone somewhere else.The ability to dimension door inside a goblin
grotto will allow one to exit the grotto near s goblin door they entered the
grotto from but not to return (except by the door).

Ethereal Gate- connects a mundane location with an ethereal
location. There must be a “waiting room” between two physical locations to
travel between two mundane locations unless one is able to freely travel in the
ethereal plane.

Ethereal Stair- appears to be a stair case to nowhere but
each has a certain number of stairs that may be walked upon to travel to an
ethereal space or link remote locations linked by very lengthy runs of ethereal
stair. Attempting to teleport from an Ethereal Stair is lethal as 99% of the
time the would be teleporter and all their gear dissipate into ethereal vapor
and dimension door and other similar magics will only access a different step
on the stair.

About Me

A RPG player who thinks he has something to share. Discovered wargaming at the age of 9 or so thanks to Avalon Hill. Started playing D&D in the later days of the 70's as one of those annoying kids and currently games with spouse, family and friends.